Warp-knitting machine



' 3,623,693 I. SPRINGTHORPE WAR? KNITT'ING MACHINE Filed June 28. 1918 9 Sheets-Sheet l /0 vweutoz April 5 1927;

y|. SPRINGTHORPE WARP KNITvTING MACHINE Filed June 28' 41918 9 SheetsSheet 2 April 5 1927.

1,623,603 l. SPRINGTHORPE WARlD KNITTING MACHINE Filed June 28. 1918 9..Shee"ns-S11ee'f, 5

April 5, 1927. 1 1,623,603 I. SPRINGTHORPE l l WAH? KNITTING MACHINE Filed June 28, 1918 9' sheets-sheet -6 @Evento/c' 'Q10/MLM /44 /4/ y wJan/C f Y l 5MM 1 I 1623 603 April 5 1927' SPRINGTHORPE 9 WAR? KNITTING MACHINE Filed June 28, 1918 9 sheets-sheet 7 v l. sPRlNG'n-IORPE WAR? KNITTING MACHINE Filed June 28, 1918 9 Sheets-Sheet 8 1927. Apnl 5 l. SPRINGTHQRPE WAR? KNITTING MACHINE 9 Sheets-Sheetl 9 Filed June 2e, 1918 l kPatented Apr. 5, 19,27.

l, Ulclqm)V STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

' IsAAc srHINGrHoRPnoF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AssIeNoR, BY -NE'sNE ASSIGNMENTS, 'ro SPRINGTHORPH TEXTILE MACHINE coMPANm'oNPHILAnEL- strolling' mechanism for the needle bar, a

\ moves only transversely to its length, sub- PHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A. CORPORATION 0F DELAWARE. f i' wAmiHNIT'rINe MACHINE.

Application liled June `28,

Thisinvention relates to imprqvementson the knitting machine set forth in :ny-Patent No. .1,165,294L dated December 2l, 1915, and, more particularly, tothe operatingand consafety tension means forthe warp threads, the' pattern chains, and the-pattern chain supports. n L I In ymy patent aforesaid the .needle bar ject to lthe joint control and actuation"y of two instrumentalities or mechanisms, operated from .the same power shaft, one mechanism, a cam, actuating and timing the horizontal movement of the needle bar, and

` the -other mechanism, an eccentric, actuating and timing its up" and down movement and dwell'. The rise and fall of the needle bar,

is, in that machine, determined by the shifting ofl the cam rails having adjustable cam plates, 'the cams and `cAam plates 'cooperating with the needle bar. This operating mechf anisniis capable, as stated in myl'patent, lof 'different' adjustments to cause the needle bar to` travelI in different predetermined paths, according tothe nature oftheffabricto be knitted. Iny fact,-in the use of that machine it has .been customary to so form' adjust, the' cam rails and their-plates Y l relates to the .operation and control of the' as to cause the needle bar to 'move .horizontally when advancing and alsofoi` aw short distance as it began its return movement. This horizontal movement` in bothv directions enables theJthread guides vto place l vthreads both forward and. back of the needles, if desired, and thento utilize v the oblique movementto return the needles to the lowest,`or starting, position for lthe pur-- pose of casting the loops Vfrom the ba'sesof 'he 1peedles over the loops held in the needle loo su Tha-t part of the present inventionwhich needle bar has for one of.itsobjects the` provision `of improved means whereby' more accurate and exact 'operation and control` of the needle barand a great increase inthe `speed and capacity of the machine are obl tained.

This` improved means -canbe arranged to not only cause 'the needle barto travel in .any predetermined cycle' such as. was possible 'with the.` camrails of the machine of.l

une. serial No, 242,480.

my patent but it can also be set to causeithe needle bar to' move vsolely in an oblique path. This movement beingcthe shortest one/ possib e, duction are greatly increased'over the speed the speed of the machine -andits pro and output of the machine'of myepatent.

The improved operating means enables the needles to intercept the previously shifted w or -laid warp threads near the end of the first half-cycle of the needle bar movement and also at the beginning of the second4 -half-cycle. The utilization o fthis simple knitting fabrics requiring the use of part,

4($5 and direct oblique movement is feasible in` or the full, complementy of thread guide t bars, since the eyesJ of the thread guides can be closely assembledv in parallel rows in position to be intercepted by the needles dur` ing the oblique movement ofthe needle bai` zontally, and fina ly moving downwardly,

covering the same path as that of its ad.

Vance Y and entirely movement.

By way of illustration, I have indicated two paths of travel, or, cyclesof movement omitting any oblique of the needle bar under the control and actuation of the improved needle bar operating means, wherein lthe return movement is along the same path, but ina 'reverse direction, to the path traveled by the needle bar on its 'advancing movement. It is to, be

understood, however, that the improved needle baroperating means venables the needle harto be moved in any. one-of an almost unlimited number of paths as the re` sultants of di'erent predetermined individual and relative adjustments of the said improvedmeans,esothat. laces, nets, fabrics, and cloths in an almost 'infinite variety can f be produced at different'times.

` My improvements in this respect consist4 in the elimination of the cam rai-ls and adjustable cam' slides of my patent, and the 1 use of rockers, arms,` o r levers, dlrectly lcooperating. with' .the needle bar, referably by the useof groovedJ or slotte ,parts in the roc-kers which receiverollerscarried by the eccentric and cam,

theneedle bar, and the direct actuation of the rockers from the same power shaft which causes horizontal shifting of the needle bar. The rockers are actuated by a cam on the power shaft which gives them the desired dwell at the proper' points to prevent further rising or falling of the needle bar at certain parts of its travel, these points of dwell of the needle bar being dependent on the resetting of-the ecam on the power shaft, relatively to the arrangement of the eccentric thereon which is used to impart horizontal movement to the holsters and the needle bar. The eccentric which controls the horizontal shifting of the blsters, and hence the needle bar, may be taken off and a cam substituted, to afford a dwell of any desiredy duration and at any desired point of the horizontal travel of the holsters, and used at the same time with the cam which controls the movement of 'the rocker arms.

or the two cams, on the power shaft permits of any desired cycle of movement of the needle bar, with horizontal and vertical travel and dwells where' desired, or, a cycle embodying anI oblique path only, with dwells as desired, to enable the thread guides toplace the threads, according to' the action of the pattern chains, across the hook sides, and the backs, of the needles so that the knitting of any one of an almost infinite variety of laces,

nets, fabrics and cloths may be carried on.

The use of rockers directly cooperating with. the `needle bar, tion of the rockers with power shaftv enables such minute adjustmentsk to be made and the establishment of such relationships of the two operating mechanisms which control the needle bar, that results are obtainable which even the mechanism of my patent aforesaid cannot produce. f

To enable the brakine action on the warp beams to be made as eavy as needed to afford a firm fabric where firmness is de# the cam on the sired, and yet safeguard against snappingy the warp threads by sudden tensions due to^ needle pulls, I havedevlsed a safety tension device which relieves the threads from any tendency to snap when there are sudden pulls. This device embodies spring-floated or spring-sus nded rods over, or against which,

the warp t reads run intermediate the warpV beams and the thread guides. Such safety tension devices may be variously arranged but, preferably, comprise rods having detachable or snap-hook connections fwith coil springs which are, in turn, connected to the up er framework or rack arms of the machine. The springs compensate for the additional tension to which. the threads are liable when subjected to sudden needle pulls. This part of the invention is not limited to The relative arrangement of.

and the direct connec-` the center of 4the use of rods or to snap hooks, but comset forth.

That part of my present invention which relates to the pattern chains and their supports, has for its object to simplify them, obviate the use of adjustable supports for the chains, and eliminate'the extra driving lugs, rendering the placing of the chains on the drum and their removal therefrom a much easier and quicker operation, besides insuring proper engagement of the chains with the drum and their being driven thereby at all times without possibility of becoming entangled. vided guides or supports over or against which the free parts of the'pattern chains hang by gravity, the weight of keeping them in engagement with the driving drum and the yet p'ermitting'easy removal or placement ot the chains. Means, such as an idler, pre vents the free hanging parts of the chains from interfering. Only one set of notches is provided in the annular ribs of the drum to receive the heads of the pivotal connections between the links of the chains. The guides or supports may be rotatable, or they may be stationary, both forms being shown and described.

Further improvements over the machine of my Patent No. 1165294, comprise, first, a supplemental frame located intermediate the end frames of the machine and adapted to support the warp thread cross rods; second, combining the thread guide bar hanger brackets of the end frames with the steadier pin plates; third, providing supplemental thread guide bar brackets adapted tobe hung from the warp thread cross rods to serve as additional suspending means for the thread guide hars.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the right end of the machine;

' Fig. 2, a similar view of the left end of the machine;

Fig. 3, a vertical sectional view throurh the machine looking in tie same direction as Fig. 2;

Fig. 4, a rear fragmentary sectional elevation on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5, an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional view of the right-hand end of the machine on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6, an enlarged fragmentary. vertical sectional view of the right-hand end of the machine on the ,line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fi 7, a vertical sectional view on the line -7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8, a horizontal sectional view on the line 8--8 of Fig. 4; .l

Fig. 9i, an enlarged fragmentary side elevation showing a pattern chain, its drum, and the pattern chain guide; Y

To that end there are prosaid chains.

guides at all times and .p thread guides;

completed; ,y Fig. 14, a similar view showing the needles escasos Fig 1Q, a. detail'planview of a portion of the pattern chain drum and chains;

, Fig..11, a fragmentary view in elevation illustrating` the relative position of 'the thread 'guides and needles, the threads being shown as leading downward fromthe cuide eyes across the path of the needles and down to the finished work below;

Fig. 12, a diagrammatic viewshowing the' l needlekv plate with relation to. the

first, orlowest position of the needles, bar,- and wor Fig.` 13, a similar view showing the second relative position of the needles, needle bar,l work plate and thread guides, the needles having fully advanced past the thread guides, and the needle bar cycle being half inreturn transit past fthe rows of thread yguides Fig. 15, asimilar View showing the needles, needle bar and workvplate returning lto the position shown in Fig. 12'

Figs. 16, 17, 18 and 19, show diagramlof only the nected by cross sills B'to 'form the founda-l tion on whichA the superstructure or machine vproper rests. The upper or machine frame embodies end frames .D whose feet 1() are,

supported by the sills B; a' superstructure comprising duplicatel parts 11 having forwardly extending rack arms 12 and rearwardlyextending rack arms .13,ftie'rods 14 and tubes15 respectively connectin the lside framesl); and tie rods 16.(Fig. 1 joining the superpcsed rack frames 11.l At the front `of the machine is the main or drive shaft 17 mounted in the bearings 18; lthe rock lshaft 19 mounted'in bearings 20; and a second rock shaft 21 mounted in bearings` 22. The main shaft 17 carries a bevel pinion 23 which mesheswvith a larger bevel gear 24 carried fon a pattern chain drum 'shaft 25, this latter shaft being mounted in bearings 26 located on supporting brackets 27 which" are secured to main frame D by bolts 28. f

The rock shaft 19 is actuated by'an eccentric 29, comprising a disk 30 having a hub 31 and set'screw 32 by which it is secured on shaft 17, and a triple slotted eccentrically adjustable disk 33 secured bo'lts 34 to the .y

diskv 30 to revolve therewith. Surrounding disk 33 is the two-part strap 35f36, partv 35 having a channelled extension-37, to Jwhich isbolted connecting rod 38, the latter' being )omted by stud 39 to an arm 40(which has r' hub 41 fastened to rockv shaft. 19 by'set screwV 42.

r .Securely bolted `to kthe frames are the horizontal rails 43 (Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4) on which bolsters 44 are adapted 'to'slide Secured to rock shaft 19 by setscrews 45 are arms 45. Two-part adjustable connecting' rods 46 are joined to the bolsters 44 by studs 47 and tothe arms by pivotal connections '48@ Each bolster comprises atop piece or slide49 (Fig. 6), a lower` retaining plate 50, and a work plate supporting bracket "51 cast integrally with the bolster 44 and the needle bar guide bracket 52 to' Whichthe spaced vertical guides 53 and 54 are suitably connected by, bolts 52 (Figs. 5,,6),. The. work plate 143 is 'connected to brackets 51v for vertical adjustment by slots andbolts 51. and elevating screws 51 (Figs. 5, 6, 7). The needle bar 55 Icarries on its rearface a series of Vdetachable -leadfblocks .56 into Awhich the .needle's'f57 are molded, .as usual.- Secured tothe ends of the needle baratn 58(l are the standards 58 to which the vertical slides 59` are fastened at 59. The'slides. 59 are adapted to move up and down between the vertical guides 53 and 54.- Except the `connection constituted by vertical guides 53 and 54 and vertical slides 59,.the needle bar 55 has no connection with the bolsfter 44j. Ity will be seen that the needle bar .55,

is slidable horizontallyfon the. rails 43 and vertically with the slides 59.' y 1 Rock shaft 21 is actuated by a slide cam mechanism consisting ofthe cam 60 secured to main shaft 17 by hub 61 andsetgscrews '62 and provided with channel 63'.' At guide block 64 is loosely .hushed on main shaft 17` .UNI

.and there is a rectangular open yoke 65 l which is slidable' onV guide block 64and carriesv cam roller ilwhich travels in channell 63 of cam 60. A connecting arm 467 lisslidably fitted vin the channeled lowerend ofy the '.yole 65 and-is secured, to thellower en d thereof by bolts 65 afterit has been -longltudinally adjusted by screws 67 ltogive the arm ,the requisite length-for eiecting .the

p proper verticalmovement of the needle ...bar

and is in turn secured to the free enJd of levers 68 onrock shaft 21y at 67". .Secured en, the end portions ofthe rock shaft 21j are lifting levers or 4v'rockers @which-have. slots or guides'iO; receiving cam rollers '71 ,carried by thev lower ends of the' needle', bar

su porting bracket carriers 58', the -lat'ter being bolted tothe ends of the needle. bar. 55. i

Bolted at 72" to the horizlontal members 720i the frames D are guide -bar hanger brackets'73 having vertical gideoves tl74 i1'1 their Opposite Yfaces for the reception ,of the Y vertically slidable adjustable vision of a threaded end f been arranged to vthere be any undue tension on hangers 75. Each thread guide bar 7,6 is rovided at its ends with vertical lugs 77 (Figs. 4 and 8) carrying pins 78' and 79 which are horizontally slidable in the depending ends of hangers and suspend the bars 76 from said hangers. The pins 78 are longitudinally adjustable in the lugs 77 by the proand lock bolts 80 and afterbeing set are adapted to move as a unit with the thread guide bar 76.

Also attached to the right hand frame'D (Figs. 1 and 4.) above yoke 73 is an arched standard 81, having an arcuate slot 82 in which steadier pins 83 are adjustably mounted and which pass through slots 84 in the upper ends of steadiers 84 secured to the right hand ends of thread guide bars 76. By pivotally supporting the thread guide bars 76 on the pins 78 and 79 and properly adjusting the steadier pins 83, the free ends of the thread guides 85 may be set in spaced or in close proximity' to each other, the steadiers 84 also providing against lateral displacement of the thread guides 85 should the thread guides during the knitting processes. It will he seen that the pins 78 and 79 are movable longitudinally in the hangers 75, and that the slotted ends 84 of steadiers 84 slide freely on the st'eadier pins 83.

TheV yoke 72-7 3 'and arched standard 81 may be formed in a single piece as shown at 81 in Fig. 23.

i The thread guide bars 76 are adapted to reciprocate in fixed paths once lthey have knit a given fabric by selectively arranged pattern chains (Figs. 4,

' gitudinal movement of \plain disks 87 to and revolving with pattern chain drums 17 by gears 23, 24.

. Preferably, each thread in the disks 88 whereby 8,9 and 10) drum 86. The. chains comprise and notched disks 88 secured operated by a pattern chain shaft 25 which is turned from main shaft The various pattern chains necessary to produce any desired lonthe respective thread guide bars 76 are selectively assembled asto sequence and character of links according to the pattern of the fabric which is to be knit. guide bar 76 will be operated by only one pattern chain.

The pattei n chains are formed of flat links 89 selectively and detachably articulated by removable screws. bolts or pins 90, the ends or heads 91 of which project intonotches 92 the chains are driven simultaneously with the drum 8,6. Preferably, the heads 91 of succeeding fastenings project in opposite directions.

In Fig. 9 there is shown an improved support or idler for the pattern chains. This com rises an idler drum'or a set of indepen ent idler disks 93 having notches 94 each revoluble freely on a vhorizontal shaft 95, the ends of wluchvare -supported by bearings alternate fieaaeoa 95 secured to the chain drum supporting brackets 27. The respective disks 93 are in vertical alignment with the corresponding notched disks 88 on chain drum 86 and their notches are adapted to mate, whereby the screws, bolts or pins 90 which connect the chain links are caused to remain within the notches 92 a sufficient length of time to move the chains simultaneously and accurately. lVith the auxiliary drum in place it has been found unnecessary to provide other support or guiding means for the chains, and they may be allowed to freely hang downward. The outer stretches of the chains run over an idler roller 27 to keep them from becoming entangled with the inner stretches thereof.

In lieu of the idler disks 93, a multi-channeled idler 96, shown in Figs. 20, 21, which is carried by the brackets 27, may be employed. The pendant parts of the chains 89 lie in the respective channels 96 and freely slide therein, as the drum 86 turns, the webs 96 preventing interference between the respective chains.

To directly actuate the thread guide hars longitudinally by the pattern chains, there is provided a series of horizontal slides 97, one for each pattern chain and thread guide bar, said slides heilig movable longitudinally within guideways 98 in the bracket 99 (Figs. 4 and 8). Each slide 97 carries a roller 100 at one end to contact with the chain links 89 and its opposite end abuts the end of the pin 78 attached to the left hand end of the thread guide bar 76 to be actuated. The slides 97 thus become direct media through which any given thread guide bar 76 is shifted lengthwise of itself to an extent corresponding exactly to the profile of each link in the pattern chain-'which controls that particular thread guide bar. To insure continuous contact between the pin 78 and the end of slide 97, as well as between roller 100 and chain link 89, Figs. 4 and 8, tension springs 101, one for each thread guide bar, are attached directly to the ends of thread guide bars 76, while the opposite ends of the springs are secured to a rod 102 mounted on chain drum brackets 27. 'lhus the movement of the thread guide bars 76 will at all times con- "form accurately to the conformation of the surface of the adjacent chain link 89, even when great variation 1n height 1s necessary vto knit speciallaces or fabrics.

Depending from near the center of the horizontal frame rail 108 of each frame D justable slot and bolt connection 113 is .the

l i able connecting rod 129, the lowerf end of.

bracket 113 having bearing 114 inwhich is mounted the shaft -^115 carrying at its outer end a ratchet wheel 116 and at its inner end a'gear 117 meshing withithe gear 118 on gudgeou 110. In vertical alignment on gudgeons 110, 111,and 112 `are the intermeshing driving gears119, 120, 121 respectively. On l the'right hand end o'frock shaft 21 is loosely' mounted a triple lever 122 having vvthe long thread guides.

slot-ted arm 123 andthe shorter 'arms 124 and 125. The two latter arnis carry the gravity or springv actuated dogs 126 and 127, respectively, the free ends .of which engage the teethof wheel 116. An eccentric 128 mounted on main shaft 17 actuates adjust- As a means for relieving sudden tensions causedby needle pulls, there is providedan improved safety tension device comprising coiled springs 136 connecting wire strands- A137stretched between the rack frame members 11 (Figs. 2, 3, 4). The springsl 136 support warp Cross rods 138, the latter i being attached to the springs by any desired detachable means such, for instance,

as snap-hooks 139. When/a sudden pull is given the warp thread 140, the tension is lightened and 'compensated' for by the springs 136 which yield to absorb it. A

tighter brake may, with this safety tension device, be used on the wabeams 133, permer fabric than mitting the lmitting of a would be possible it there were no provision against snappingF the threads by'sudden teni sions.

Mounted (on the u'per side of yokes 73 and fastened thereto y screws 147 are the cross rod supports 147 (Figs. 1, 3, 4),

I war-lp in t e ends of which warp cross rods 148 are mountedf .These rods act as guides forthe warp threads 140 en their wayl from` warp beams 133 tothe thread guides 85 and separate the threafds passing through each row y of thread guides from those passing through the other rows.

The path of eachl warp 140 is from lthe warp beam 133 `across the spring tension rod 138, over vthe Warp cross rods 148,-

through the Vthread guide 85, into' engage- .dnent with the hoek andalso the shank of ,"the` needle 57, thence downward in front vof the take-up rolls 130, 131,l 132, around roll the hangers with additional thread guide' 130, passing between rolls 131 and 132, over and back of roll 132, and finally down- 'i Wardly back 0f the takelup rolls into the. lbasket beneath.

Instead of supportingrl the thread guide `70v bars 7 6 at their ends and providing steadiers. 84 at one end only, an additional intermediate frame E may be used, as /sliown in Fi 22, for supporting and steadying gui e bars 76 near the center of the machine.; This 75 intermediate frame E is provided with feet 150 having bearing blocks V151 and 152 y which chimp the frame supporting tubes 15,

thus making the frame E an integral part ofl l A Ythe larger machines of this type. The main 30 shaft 17 is supported in bearings 153and there are bearing 154 and 155, respectively,

for rock shafts 19 and 21. The upper part- 1-56 of intermediateframe E is secured to theeide frames 157 and iszby bolts 159 85 passing through slots 160. Adjustin screws 161 threaded through lugs 162 and having lock vnuts 163 may alsov be used. Holes 164 receive the warp cross rods/148 and set screws. 165 hold them in place:

When .the intermediate frame `E `isr.used, additional standards like those shown at 73 may be mounted thereon, to support v intermediate thread rguide bar hangers like bar support pins like the pins 78 inserted in extra lugs llike the lugs 77 near the center of the thread guide bars 76. Also, one or more .hanger plates substantially like that shown in Fig. v23 but having individual holes andv set screws for the warp thread bars may be,` lsuspended directly on the warp cross rods 148, thus utilizing these' rodsas the' intermediate guide bar support, with lugs .105

lar `to those already described; In ma- Achines of more than ordinary length it 77, support. pins -78 and hangers 79 simihas been found advisable to place addi-` tional steadiers like those shown at 84'at the left 'end ofthe guide .bars, with steadier pins like' -those shown at. 83 carried -by a 'secondl arched standard like the standard 81 or by the combined yoke and standard 81', Fig. 23.- During its travel' each thread is actuated, controlled and guided in several ways, i. e., first, by the tension applied to the `warp beams 133 by the'brake strap 1 34 and heavy or, light weights 135; then by 126' the. device 136-139 to prevent breaking of the thread under sudden tension increases;

then, under the control of the pattern chain, the thread guide -places the thread in proper position next, either the hook `or o posite side ofthe needle engages the thread) (thus either-forming the thread into loops, chains, nets, etc., o r else aiding in placing certain threads in position-to be'vovenin by 'certain Vother threads), and lduring these opervations the tension rolls13l-132 are exerting retarded by high brake tension in order to cause its threads to enter the fabric in close, short loops; or, again, a warp beam may be almost entirely freed of tension in order to permit its threads to form long, loose loops either within the fabric proper, or, as a nap on the surface. The tension relief or compensating device guards against breakage and also regulates any unevenness of thread pull. The guiding of the threads lays the foundation and alsd the pattern or design, and has to do with'the lateral elasticity or firmness of the fabric. The needles, in conjunction with the latches, latch wire and work plate, do the actual knitting in of the threads placed by the guides. rEhe take-up rolls not only pull the finished work away from the needles but also enable the latter to pull down from the warp beams thread or yarn of proper lengths to knit the design or pattern of lace or other fabric. It will be seen that when an extreme movement of a thread guide bar takes place in either direction, `an increased length of thread must be taken from the warp beam,

and then the needles do the pulling in ofthe threads, while the take up rolls not only hold fast to what they have pulled in but they are, at the same time, by their continued revolution pulling the threads past the needles. It must be remembered, however, that the take up tension is at all times subject to the attachment of the threads to the Shanks or hooks of the needles so that the greater tension is exerted at and below the needles, and less tension exists between the needles and war beams.

The needle bar 55 lbeing supported by the slotted lifting levers 69 carried by rock shaft 21, is actuated vertically by movement imparted to rock shaft 21 by cam 60 and intervening connections heretofore described. Vertical movement of the needle bar is, however, subject to the horizontal position of the vertical guides `53 and 54 forming part of the horizontally movable bolsters 44. Now, since the bolsters 44 are movable horizontally on the rails 43 when actuated by eccentric 29 and rock shaft 19, vertical guides 53 and 54 being attached to bolsters 44 will serve to move guides 59 and also the needle bar 55 in a horizontal direction.

Having thus provided independent actuating mechanism for moving the needle bar 55 either horizontally or vertically, it is subject to independent vertical and horizontal movements, or, to travel in a path which is the resultantof those movements. Consequently the eccentric 29 and cam 6() may be set in such relation to each other on main shaft 17 as to move the needle bar 55 horizontally forward at the same time that it moves vertically upward. The resultant of the horizontal and vertical movements produces a direct diagonal movement of the `needle bar '55 similar to the diagram in Fig.

18. In like manner, the mechanism may be set to return the needle bar 55 vertically downward simultaneously with a horizontal movement backward, thus producing an oblique movement in the same plane with the previous `diagonal movement.

The channel 63 of the cam 6() lies in the arc of a circle struck from shaft 17 for approximately onefhalf the revolution of the cam; hence the roller 66 remains at a fixed distance or dwell from shaft 17 during approximately one-half of a machine cycle (i. e., one revolution of shaft 17) as, for instance, after the needles have risen and passed through the thread guides toward the front of the machine to a position substantially corresponding to that of Figs. 3 and 13. The roller 66 then describes an eccentric path in channel 63 at varying distances from the center yof shaft 17 during the remaining half of the machine cycle. The effect of this conformation of channel 63 is to cause needle bar 55 to have no vcrtical movement during practically one-half of the machine cycle and also for a short period during the center of the other halfcycle, with a rapid upward movement preceding. and a rapid downward movement succeeding, respectively, the short stationary period. It will be understood that with the needles neither rising or falling opportunity is afforded for readjusting the rows of thread guides so as to bring new threads within the path of the needles on either the hook or opposite side.

The throw on eccentric 29 may be altered by readjusting it on shaft 17 to time its action, as desired, in relation to that of cam 60. Instead of operating the bolsters 44 by an eccentric 29, a cam like cam 60 may be substituted so as to obtain any desired dwell in the horizontal movement of the needle bar. The movements of either the eccentric 29 or its substitute cam mechanism Amay be timed in any desired relation to the movements of cam 60, enabling the bringing about of any desired combination of movements and dwells of the needle bar in any vertical, horizontal or oblique path. All of these movements and dwells being timed from main shaft 17. it follows that there can be no conflict of action but that all the parts will work harmoniously.

It will thus be seen that by means of my improved needle bar mechanism I am able lis ; illustrated, according to requirements ofthe laceor fabric beingknitted. vThe needle hooks may be passed between the lower ends of the thread guides while the needles are progressing or receding or while they are rising or falling. It is also possible, by

` means of cams and eccentrics designed for ond thread series will be engaged by the- 4 at greatly the purpose, to delay any movement of the needle bar until the pattern chains have shifted the thread guide bars to eXtreme ranges of movement. YBecause of this exquisite control of the needle bar in relation to thevshifting of the thread guide bars, the machine is adapted to produce fabrics and patterns of an almost infinit-e variety and increased speed and ,capacity for production. Y

Starting with the needle bar at the position indicated in Fig. 12 or at its lowest and rearmost position, when knitting cert-ain fab- "rics any threads placed bythe thread guide 85 across the paths of the rising and pro# gressing needles 57 would only be engaged by the backs of the needles and could thus only be woven into the fabricby a binding action of other threads. Inac'complishing this result the threads on a certain bar are placed across the path of the rising and progressing needles, causing the threads to be engaged by the backs and Shanks of the needles. With the needles in forward and high position, another thread guide bar is moved by its pattern chain to bring a new series of threads across the path of the needles on their hook sides, so that the sechooks and Ilooped into the fabric. The first series of threads are ,thus surrounded and bound into the fabric without their having actually been looped by means of the needle hooks. In. certain other patterns the mal chine may cause every thread to be looped by first one 'needle and then by another, thus knitting each thread into the fabric instead of knitting some and bindingr the remainder, A high tensionmay be placed on some of the threads either bound or knitted in, and other threads may be given a loose tension, so that they will form an elastic loop or will even` -rise from the'surface of the vfabric in .long

projecting loops ,to be afterward treated 4by any desired process to produce a fur or nap. Such methods of knitting and fabrics produced thereby are set forth and claimed in certain other of my applications.

l To illustrate one of the operations the machine may carry on, reference is made to Figs. 12 to 15. A small portion of finished work is shown at 141 and'it will be seen that in Fig. 12 a loop 142 projects over the top 'while needle 57 is rising.

of the work plate 143 and is engaged by thc hook 144 of needle 57. Loop 142 is a continuation of thread 140 which passes through the eye of thread guide 85. Thread 140- passing through thread guide has been woven into the fabric 141 either by pre-- viou's looping on one of the needles 57, or by being surrounded by a ttran'l of thread 140. IVith threads 140 and 140 in this position, the needle 57 now rises and moves-.forward into the position shown in Fig. 13. I-Iere it will be seen that loop 142 is on the shank of `needle 57, below the latch 145. If thread guide 85 be now moved across the path of. the Ireturning needle 57, thread 140 will be engaged by the returning needle 57 (as in Fig. 14), and will be finally engaged by the needle hook zdas in Fig. 15. Here, fit will be seen, the loop 142 is about to pass over the closed latch 145 and become incorporated in the fabric 4141,' while a new loopvof thread Y 146 takes its place in the hook 144 to begin again the knitting process as in Fig. 12. In this process any threads 140 which are passed across the backs of the needles 57 by the thread guides 85 and advancing movement of needle 57 will be knit into the fabric by the threads 140, and may thus pass back and forth through the fabric, engaged first by one thread 140 and then. by another, forming all the time lateral loops within or on the surface of the fabric. Such threads 140 need not be engaged by the needle hooks.

The latch wire 145 attached to the needle bar at 145 is used to prevent latches 145 from snappingup and closing as loop-142, Fig. 13, slips down over the end of theA latch What 'I claim is prior to the `upward 1. In a knitting machine,y the combination with` a bodily displaceable needle bar, of means mounting the needle bar for lateral bodily shi ting, brackets or carriers supporting the needle bar, a rock shaft, rockers on said shaft which have slots that slidably rcceive the brackets, whereby movement of the rockers positively pushes the needle bar up+ wardly and pulls it downwardly, a main shaft, 'an .adjustable or settable timing operative connection between said main shaft and the rock shaft, and a second adjustable or settable timing operative connection between substantially continuously-acting take-up means adapted to continuously take up the fabric under tension as it is knitted, and freely-spring-suspended tension rods acting on the warp threads between the warp beams and the thread guides.

3. In a warp knitting machine, the combination with a frame, needles and thread uides of substantiall eontinuousl -actin' a n l0. take-up means adapted to continuously take up the fabric under tension as Iit is knitted, coil springs attached to the frame, a connection between said coil springs, and tension rods for the Warp threads, said rods being attached to, and freely suspended by the coil-springs, said tension rods acting on the Warp threads between the warp beams and the thread guides.

In testimony whereof I attix my signature.

ISAAC SPRINGTHORPE. 

